The Crush
by twinkylady
Summary: Kitty has a crush, and Jubilee's wondering what to do about it. AU for liberties taken with Kitty's background.


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TITLE:THE CRUSH

RATING:PG - for a little bad language and cruelty

SUMMARY:Written for a Stormfreak's Haven challenge to write a fic that begins with the line "Are you still up?" and ends with "Sweet dreams." and contains no other dialogue.

DISCLAIMER:I do not own anything to do with the X-men or Marvel Comics and make no money from this work. 

"Are you still up?" Jubilee whispered at the shapeless lump under the covers of the bed across the room. She and her new roommate Kitty Pryde had been up half the night, talking about all the things about which teenage girls whisper confidences under safe cover of darkness. Clothes, makeup, and of course, boys.

There was no answer except the soft snuffling of Kitty's slow, even breaths. Jubilee pushed herself up in bed, pulled her knees up and wrapped her hands around her legs, her cheek resting on the cool glass of the window. They never slept with the drapes closed - Jubes had terrible claustrophobia and couldn't bear to be shut in. She was worried about Kitty and some of the things she had shared tonight.

Kitty had never been away from home for any length of time before she came to Xavier's Institute for the Gifted. Her parents were very devout Christians and favored a strict upbringing for their children. Kitty had not been allowed to listen to popular music, watch many television shows or even wear pants most of the time. When her mutation became apparent at the age of sixteen, they had reacted with more than the typical shock and horror. Her mother had declared that her daughter was dead to her and that Kitty had been cursed by the devil. Her father had denounced her from the pulpit of the very church where she was raised as a demon marked by the hand of Satan himself. Kitty ran from the church, blind with tears and rage. 

An elderly woman who lived across town took her in. Two of Mrs. Barlow's children were mutants and she had helped several others over the years. After a few days, she referred Kitty to Xavier's Institute, and when Kitty received a scholarship sent her with a suitcase full of new clothes, school supplies and even a small amount of spending money. At the train station, she had hugged Kitty, who had tears in her eyes. Her own parents didn't approve of such public displays of affection; even at home hugs and kisses and pats of approval were doled out only perfunctorily.

When she arrived in Westchester, two of the instructors had been sent to greet her. Mr. Summers and Dr. Grey were waiting on the platform with a small sign bearing her name. At her approach, they broke into wide smiles. Dr. Grey had hugged her and welcomed her to Westchester; Mr. Summers insisted on carrying her stuff. When he leaned down to pick up her bag, a whiff of his cologne tickled her nose. It was warm and spicy, sensual and designed to seduce. Mixed with the unmistakable musk of a confident adult man, and the brilliant smile he had bestowed on her, Kitty was instantly in love.

During the next two weeks, wherever Mr. Summers was found, Kitty was sure to be nearby. Her mutation made it easy for her to slip through the halls almost unnoticed. Scott found it unnerving, to say the least. He had been the object of a few teenage crushes before, and had a few of his own. Hell, he had been just seventeen when he met Jean and charmed her into bed. Kitty worried him. She stared up at him with her best attempt at a shy, soulful gaze. She could barely bring herself to speak to him and most attempts at conversation merely brought a blush to her cheeks or resulted in her slipping through the wall into the next room. Professor Xavier had thought putting her in a room with Jubilee would help bring her out of her shell.

Another month had passed on the night Jubilee found herself staring out the window. Kitty had confided that she was in love with Mr. Summers; Jubilee's reaction was to snort and tell her to take a number behind half the female population in the school. Kitty had glared at Jubilee fiercely and retorted that how she felt was _different_ and she was going to make Scott notice her as a woman. When Jubes had no reply, Kitty threw herself down on the bed and pulled the covers up to her chin, turning her back on her roommate. 

Jubilee looked over at Kitty and sighed. She knew for a fact that at least three of the boys in their class had asked Kitty out, but she refused them all. In fact, Bobby was as hopelessly in love with Kitty as Kitty was with Mr. Summers. She had a firm conviction that one day he would look at her with his eyes opened and realize that Kitty was the perfect woman for him. Jubilee had tried to explain more than once that Mr. Summers and Dr. Grey were engaged but Kitty refused to listen. 

Jubilee crawled back under the bright yellow blanket and snuggled under the covers. She would talk to Professor Xavier about it tomorrow. Dr. Grey was the school's counselor, but she wasn't sure how well she would deal with the news that one of the students was out to steal her man. Comforted by the fact that the professor would take care of things, she fell asleep in just a few minutes.

A short while later, the door to the girls' room opened and Jean Grey came in. Jubilee had been projecting loud enough to wake the dead and she had debated for a long while whether or not to interrupt their little heart-to-heart. She was more than familiar with the female students lusting after Scott and always tried to handle them with good grace and dignity. By the time she arrived at their dorm room, both girls were fast asleep. Silently she retreated from the dark room and sent a telepathic message that wouldn't wake them.

"Sweet dreams."


End file.
